Electrically-operated railway-switch



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

-S. L. POWELL.

ELEGTEIOALLY OPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH. No. 443,167. Patented Dec. 23,1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. 'L. POWELL. ELEGTRIOALLYOPERATED RAILWAY SWITCH. No. 443,167. Patented Dec. 28., 1890.

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mechanism for shifting the switch-bar.

UNITED STATES PATENT SAMUEL L. POYVELL, OF LEYVISTOWN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO FREDERICK D. MORRISON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

ELECTRICALLY-OPERATED RAILWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,167, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed February 21, 1890. Serial No. 341,314. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lewistown, in the county of Frederick and State of Maryland, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Electrically-Operated Railway-Switches, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide for electrically operating railway-switches.

The invention comprises a switch-bar and s\\-'itch-bar-'act1iating mechanism, which are set in motion and locked in given position by electrically -actuated mechanism, as I will proceed now more particularly to set forth, and finally claim.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a plan view showing the switch mechanism and the electrically-operated actuating mechanism together with the circuits. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the electromechanical Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the switch-bar. Fig. 4: is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section, of one of the contacts on the track. Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of contact. Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the trolley carried by the train for operation in connection ith one of the forms of trackcont'act. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a switch-locking device. Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of another form of switch-locking device. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the form of locking-bar used in Fig. E). Fig. 11 shows in detail the slipjoint connection of the switch-operating rods with their levers. 12 is a sectional elevation of the lever-hook.

The main track a and the siding b may be as usual, with the switch-rails mounted upon the switch-bar c. This switch-bar is provided with loops (Z, in which is arranged an auxiliary switch-bar o, to which the usual switchstand and lover a may be applied for operating the switch by hand. The two bars 0 and c are connected by means of a spring-bolt f on the switch-bar c engaging a keeper f on Vhen the boltfis in enthe switol1-bar c.

gagement with the keeper f, the two switchbars 0 and 0' must move together; but when the bolt f is disengaged from the keeper f then the switch-bar 0 remains stationary while the switch-bar 0 may be moved. Gon- 5 5 nected to the bolt f is alev'er g, one arm g of which forms the armature of an electro-magnet 9 and when this electro-magnet is energized itattracts its armature g, withdraws the boltffrom thekeeper f, and permits the independent movement of the switch-bar c. The switch-bar c is engaged by one arm of a three-arm ed lever h, suitably secured-as, for v example, to a tie or upon other suitable foundation. ROClSt and j are loose-jointed to the three-armed lever h, and these rods are extended for some distance beyond the switch and on either side thereof, so as to operate the switch from either side thereof by amoving train. The ends of the rods 15 and j are provided with heads 1" and j, respectively, and these heads are adapted to be engaged by a lever-hook 7c. Opposite faces of this lever-hook are provided with notches 70' 76, which are adapted to hook over one or the 7 5 other of the rods 1 and 3' back of their heads, and the said lever-hook is provided with a shank 70 which is pivoted at k in an arm Z of a rock-shaft Z, suitably mounted upon, for example, a cross-tie. A spring Z is ar- 80 ranged in an opening in the arm Z, to act upon the end of the shank 7c in order normally to hold the lever-hook in an upright position, from which it may be shifted to engage one or the other of the rods t'j. To this 8 5 end the lever'hook has a lateral motion upon its pivot k and it is an armature for the electromagnets m m. A spring belt or pin 70*, secured to the tie or other fixture, is arranged centrally of the arm Z- in the plane of the parting of the said arm and the leverhook, so that when the said lever-hook is attracted by one or the other of the magnets the said spring-pin will project beneath one of the notched portions to prevent the acci- 5 dental return of the said lever-hook and its disengagement from the rod. As the leverhook rocks with the rock-shaft it leaves the pin 75*; but the strain put upon it by engagement with the rod holds the two against ac- Ioo cidental displacement. The rock-shaft Z has an arm l, which is connected by means of a link Z with a lever 12, that is pivoted alongside the rail so as to be engaged by the flange of a wheel of a passing engine or car. This lever 07. is normally elevated by means of a spring a or other device. Now it will be observed that if, for example, the magnet m be energized it will attract the lever-hook 7t: to it and the said lever-hook will engage the rod 2'. If the lever n be then depressed, the rock-shaft Z will be rotated within its bearings and the lever-hook will be thrown outward in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and carry with it the rod i, and the said rod, acting upon the lever 71, will reverse the movement of the switch through the switch-bar c from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position opposite. The switch parts will be re stored to the position shown in Fig. 1 by the attraction of the leverhook by the electromagnet m and the engagement of the said lever-hook with the rod j, as is obvious.

The track at each side of the switch is provided with contact-pieces 0, and similar provision is made in the siding, and these contact-pieces are connected by suitable electric conductors with the clectro-magnets m m and g in independently-operable circuits, it being understood of course that the electromagnet g forms a part of the circuits for the contact-pieces on each side of the switch in the main track and for those in the siding.

Various forms of contact-pieces may be employed. Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the contact-pieces may consist of an electrically-insulated casing in which are arranged the two conducting-strips 0 which are normally projected by means of springs 0 and 1 prefer to arrange the strips 0 0 upon a common insulated base 0 which is supported upon the springs 0 In connection with this form of contact-pieces I may employ upon the engine or a car a rolling contact-piece 1), Fig. 7, which is composed of two pieces of conducting material insulated from one another and insulated from their common shaft 1) and adapted to be moved laterally upon said shaft to engage one or the other of the pairs of contact-pieces, and this rolling contact may be connected with the source of electrical supplysuch as a battery A, Fig. 1by means of wires and brushesp' Instead of this form of electrical connection, I may provide the car-Wheel q with electric conductors q, properly insulated from the wheel, and on that side of the rail next to the tread I may provide the spring-pressed horizontal contact 1, and 011 the other side the spring-pressed vertical contact 0"; but I wish it to be understood that I do not limit my invention to any of the mere details of the electric circuits.

In order to prevent the undesirable shifting of the switch while the train is in motion and after it has been set, I may arrange in the track a switch-locking device-such, for ex ample, as those shown in Figs. 8, 9, and 10.

In Fig. 8 this switch-locking device consists of a bar .9, supported upon cranks s and connected by a crank-rod s with the switch-bar in such manner that when the wheel of the car is upon the bar .9 the switch-bar will be held against movement. Instead of mounting the bar 3 upon cranks, its lower edge may be. notched, as shown in Fig. 10, and mounted upon rollers 5- secured to the ties in brackets 3. Or, instead of either of these forms of switch-lockin g device, I may employ the rocking plate It, (see Fig. 1,) which is connected immediately by a crank-rod to the switch-bar, to serve the same purpose. Any other form of switclrloclzing mechanism may be employed, my invention in this particular consisting, broadly, in the combination, with an electric,- all y-operated switch-bar, of a switch-bar, looking mechanism held by the passing train.

\Vith respect to the conducting-wheel on the train it is to be observed that it is composed of two conductors, and these are connected with opposite poles of the source of electricity. by this means I insure a com- 'plete circuit.

One of the track-contacts of each of the various pairs of contacts 0 is so connected by the electric conductors and magnets with the switch-bar that the switch may be set at any time to open the main track. Hence the electrical apparatus on the train is capable of being set so that no matter what switches may be open on the track the trainis traveling on, the said train mechanism will automatically set all switches for the main track. In the case of the trolley, Fig. 7, the said trolley may be shifted to act upon that contact-piece which must be put in circuit, it being the right-hand one (shown in Fig. 1) or that one midway between the track-rails, and so in the case of the device shown in Fig. 6 the flanged sides of the pair of wheels of the train will be kept in circuit to operate the switch to open the main track.

As shown in Fig. l, the switch is set for the siding, and the train mechanism is in contact with the track-contacts which are in the center of the track, and the train is approaching the switch. Now, if the train mechanism be energized the first action is to energize the switch-bar magnet and unlock these bars, so as to permit the upper bar to be shifted by the electromechanical devices. The circuit is made through wires 2 3. The magnet in is energized at the same time through wires t 5, and attracts the lever-hook into engagement with rod 2', so that as lever 01 is acted upon by the car-wheel the rod t' will be pulled toward the train and the switch set for the main track. All the other wires during this operation are incomplete circuits, and hence are inoperative. Should it be desired to reset the switch for the siding'so as to close the main track against a train in the rear, the proper track-contact to the right of the switch in the drawings will be engaged and the magnet m put in circuit 6 by wires 6 and '7.

Should the main track be left open and it be desired to open the siding, then magnet in may be energized through wires 5 8. The wires 9 1O connect the track-contacts at the right of the switch in the drawings with the magnet on the switch-bar.

What I claim is- 1. In a railway-switcl.1,a switch-bar, a lever connected thereto, rods connected to said lever to move it in opposite directions, a leverhook pivoted in its support and adapted to be moved toward and engage one or the other of the said rods, a rock-shaft in which the said leverhook is supported, and means whereby the said rock-shaft may be actuated by a passing train, combined with electro magnets arranged at opposite sides of the lever-hook to attract the said lever-hook as an armature into engagement with one or the other of the said rods, and an electric circuit completed and rendered operative by connection with a passing train, and including the said electro magnets, substantially as described.

2. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar pro vided with a bolt, an electro-magnet, and an armature interposed between the electro-magnet and the said bolt for retracting the said bolt, and a hand-operated switch-bar adapted to be engaged by the said bolt to lock the two switch-bars together, a lever connected to that switch-bar which carries the electro-magnet, rods connected to said lever to move it in opposite directions, a lever-hook pivoted in its support and adapted to be moved toward and engage one or the other of the said rods, a rock-shaft in which the said lever-hook is supported, and means whereby the said rockshaft may be actuated by a passing train, combined with electro-magnets arranged at opposite sides of the lever-hook to attract the said lever-hook as an armature into engagement with one or the other of the said rods, and an electric circuit completed and rendered operative by connection with a passing train, and including the said electro-magnets and also the electro-magnet on the switch-bar, substantially as described.

3. In a railway-switch, a switch-bar, a lever connected thereto, rods connected to said lever to move it in opposite directions, a leverhook pivoted in its support and adapted to be moved toward and engage one or the other of the said rods, a rock-shaft in which the said lever-hook is supported, and means whereby the said rock-shaft may be actuated by a passing train, combined with electrolnagnets arranged at opposite sides of the lever-hook to attract the said lever-hook as an armature into engagement with one or the other of the said rods, and an electric circuit completed and rendered operative by connection with a passing train, and including the said electro-magnets, and a switch-locking mechanism to hold the switch in position while a train is passing, substantially as described.

4. In a railway-switch, a rock-shaft connected to and operated by a lever, which in turn is actuated by a passing train, an armature pivoted in said rock-shaft and adapted to move with the said rook-shaft and also to have a lateral motion therein, rods arranged in position to be engaged by the said armature by lateral movement thereof and to be moved longitudinally by the rocking motion of the shaft, and lever-connections of said rods with a switch-bar, combined with electro-magnets for attracting the armature into engagement with one or the other of the rods, and an electric circuit rendered operative from a passing train, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In an electrically operated railwayswitch mechanism, an electro mechanical switch-operating mechanism for shifting the switch to open the main track, including contact-pieces in the track, each comprising two members for simultaneous connection with opposite poles of a source of electricity, combined with an electric mechanism on the train, comprising a conductor connected with the opposite poles of a source of electricity and adapted to contact with the electrically similar track-contacts, and so complete a leading and a return circuit to actuate such switch mechanism normally and automatically to open the main track, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of February, A. D.

T1. Witnesses:

FELIX R. SULLIVAN, J. RALPH MoRmsoN. 

